Encouraging Elementary Educator

Sarah L.

Hi there! I am currently a first grade teacher with over 10 years of classroom experience teaching learners of all skills levels. I am trained in the Science of Reading through the LETRS program, have Masters in K-6 Math Education and Curriculum and Instruction, and have co-taught students with high needs IEPs in my inclusion first grade classroom for the past 5 years. I use my classroom and educational experiences to create fun and engaging lessons that focus on incorporating what the learner knows with their learning goals to help them reach them quickly.

I love teaching early literacy and math skills so first grade is where I have spent the majority of my career, but I also have experience teaching fourth grade for one year and as a special education paraprofessional for four years. During my time in fourth grade, I was able to adapt many of the strategies I learned and taught in first grade to help students who were struggling with the fourth grade curriculum. I helped a group of 22 of the lowest level readers, some who were reading at a kindergarten level, grow 1-3 grade levels in one school year, which gave many of them access to fourth grade texts and concepts. As a special education para, I became an expert at quickly adapting lessons to meet the needs of my learners, a skill that comes in handy when teaching or tutoring today.

I teach phonological awareness and phonics skills in a clear sequence using research-based, multi-sensory methods. Decodable texts are introduced students are ready, with the phonics patterns aligning with the ones already taught to the student so genuine reading is happening. Writing is incorporated into all literacy lessons in a sequential and developmentally appropriate way. Hands on activities are used in literacy lessons, as well as in math activities. Students must have many chances to practice both math and literacy concepts in order to become proficient, which I help them do through fun learning activities.